Hitching device



(No Model.)

B. J. HILDRETH.

HITGHING DEVICE.

.N0. 337,582. Patented Mar. 9, 1886.

WITNESSES: j? 'INVBNTOB v 0% y 2. Y AT-ILORNEY N. PETERS.Hula-Lithographer. Washington. :2, c.

UNI ED STATES PATENT Crrrca.

ELMER J. HILDRETH, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

HITCHING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,582, dated March 9,1886.

Application filed December 14, 1885. Serial No. 185,634. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER J. HILDRETH, residing at New Haven, in thecounty of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Hitching Devices; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in hitching devices; and itconsists in a hitching device having a strap, a spindle upon which thesame is wound, a spring for rotating the spindle for winding the strapthereupon, a case for the strap, spindle, and spring, and a base orfastening plate for the case, the said case and base or fastening platebeing swiveled together.

Myinvention further consists in certain details of construction andcombinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of ahitching device embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a view thereof incentral longitudinal section.

The strap A, spindle B, and springs C of my improved device are inclosedin a case composed of a cylinder, D, and heads E and F, located in theopposite ends thereof and provided with bosses G G, bored out from theinside to form bearings H H for the opposite ends of the spindle, whichpasses through the center of the case, to the interior of which accessis had through the head E,which is made removable for the purpose. Thesaid strap passes through an aperture, I, formed in the cylinder D, andbetween anti-friction rollers J J, carried by parallel lugs K K, locatedupon the periphery of the said cylinder, as shown;

The outer or free end of the, strap is provided with a snap-hook, L,swiveled to the strap by a pin, M, for preventing the strap from beingtwisted. The spring C is coiled around the spindle, and arranged torotate the same to wind the strap thereupon and to exert a constant pullupon the strap, except when it is locked against rotation. One end ofthe said spring is secured to the spindle, and the other end to theremovable head E, through a pin, N, located therein.

For the purpose of locking the spindle against rotation, as referred to,and hence preventing the winding or unwinding of the strap, the spindleis provided with ahole, 0, adapted to receive a pin, P, entering thecase through a hole, Q, located in the cylinder D in such position thatthe pin will not drop out when the device is put up in a horizontalposition or suspended from overhead.

The base or fastening plate R of the device is provided for putting itup for use, and is furnished with screw-holes S. The case and base areswiveled together. For this purpose the cylinder D of the case isprovided with a projection, T, open from the inside of the case, andhaving a flat bearing-face, U, and a central aperture, V, while the baseor fastening plate is provided with a similar projection,W, having aflat bearing, X, and a central aperture, Y, the bearing-faces U and XWorking each upon the other, and the apertures V and Y receiving apivot, Z, as shown.

By swiveling the case and base or fastening plate together, asdescribed, the former is permitted to turn into line with the strain orpull upon the strap, whereby a free and direct action is secured for thesame in feeding out and in being retracted by the spring, binding andtwisting being avoided.

By providing in ahitching device for taking up all slack in the strap,the animal tied is prevented from getting caught by the strap, and alsogetting cast, and when the device is suspended from overhead the strapis kept entirely out ofthe way. Furthermore,the pull or tension uponthestrap, although light, tends to prevent the animal from moving about.

Having fully described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. 'Ahitehing device having a strap, a spindle upon which the sameiswound, a spring for rotating the spindle for winding the strapthereupon, a case for the strap, spindle, and spring, and a base for thecase, the said case and base or fastening plate being swiveled together,substantially as set forth.

2. A hitching device having a strap,'a spindle upon which the same iswound, a spring for rotating the spindle for winding the strapthereupon, a case for the strap, spindle, and spring, a base orfastening plate for the case,

the said case and base or fastening plate being swiveled together, andmeans for temporarily locking the spindle against rotation,substantially as set forth.

5 3. A hitching device having a strap, a spindle upon which the same iswound, a spring for rotating the spindle for winding the strapthereupon, a case for the strap, spindle, and spring, a base orfastening-plate for the case,

0 said case and base or fastening plate being swiveled together, and asnap-hook swiveled to the free end of the strap, substantially as. setforth.

4. A hitching device having a strap, a spin- 5 dle upon which the sameis wound, a spring ELMER J. HILDRETH.

Witnesses:

A. THOMPSON, GEO. D. SEYMOUR.

